The Journey To The West Begins

Age 742, August, Kerno Town, Darc´s Home, Morning 7:15. The ringing clock rapidly rang out through the room. It was the alarm that should have woken him up for school since it was still a weekday.

Darc grumbled and smashed the clock immediately against the wall.

That is exactly what he didn't like at all. Being woken up so early when he was still tired. He just got about 4 hours of sleep but mister sun still shined at him.

Those damn bastards probably scheme against him. He meant the sun and the clock with that. That scheming couple.

Now the holidays started so he didn't worry about the clock and directly let it pay for all the mornings prior. It kinda became a hidden agenda for him. Was he a sloth? If he could be one, why not?

He stood up from his bed anyways and stretched himself out. At that moment a big yawn came and brought him to tears.

Darc stood there dazed for a while and only after a few minutes did he really come to his senses.

´Here we go. Gotta wash my face or I am gonna fall asleep again´

Thinking that he walked to the bathroom. Then he changed it some new casual clothes and walked downstairs.

In the kitchen, his mother already prepared some breakfast for him. So he sat down and started to eat some bread with some sweet jam.

His mother noticed his darker eyelids and smirked "Being all tired like this. That just shows to you not go out so long.", she said to him. Kibini knew her son was a long sleeper and when he didn't get enough sleep he would always be the sluggish type at morning.

Darc looked at his mother and only bit another piece of his bread. He didn't answer to her words since it would be no use to argue at something like this. It was after all his own demise.

He finished his meal and only now started to tackle the thing he wanted to do. "Mom, can I ask you something?", he asked and would make it a direct approach first and go from whatever reaction she has then.

"Sure, just go ahead.", replied his mother. But she knew something bad is going to be asked. Darc didn't ask for many things so it was out of the norm that he did so now.

"You do still remember the shiny orange ball you gifted me?" He waited for her reply before continuing.

She nodded "What of it?"

"That ball is special. I found out by chance that there are 7 of these balls and if someone finds them, they could grant a wish.", he explained to her.

Kibini was silent at his words and just stared at him. She didn't even speak up after some while

"You...aren't going to say anything?", he questioned her behavior to his words.

"What is there to say? Guessing by your way of starting this conversation you probably want to ask me to let you go search for these balls, aren't you?", she said. This time giving him an answer.

"So..?", he dug deeper for an answer since she already knew what he wanted to ask.

"Definitely no! You are only 8 and why do you want to have them. What is there to wish that you couldn't get normally?", she denied him nearly instantly and asked him back.

"Mom! They are wishing beads. Even if it is not true. The adventure to find them would be exciting. I got holidays right now anyways and want something to do.", he said.

"There are better things to do then go searching for those balls like a treasure hunter. You could go do something normal, you know?" Kibini said.

"What defines normal, mom? Please let me go? It won't really take long. I will be sure to be back before school starts and teacher Zarid can vouch for me that I am pretty good enough to protect myself. Or did you see another 8-year-old kid that could destroy rocks with his fists?", he appealed to her with reason.

His mother actually did know about Darc's improvements in martial arts and she was shocked at how strong someone can get with those arts.

Kibini looked at Darc who put on puppy eyes and started to pout with his little lips. That hit her in her soft spot and her mouth twitched slightly.

Why did her son got to ask something like that and start acting all cute now? That was not fair to her. She couldn't resist as his mother.

She bit her lower lip reached to his cheeks and pinched them. "Damn, using that cute face of yours. If your father was here you wouldn't be so successful. Alright, I will agree but you better keep your promise and return before your holidays are over, mister.", she said and let go of his cheeks that were rosy now.

Darc started smiling brightly from one ear to the other. It really did work. Nothing against a little bit of cuteness. He was kinda happy for his still pretty childish looks. It won't be that easy to do that later on in his life. But he doubted that he needs to do that later.

"Thanks, mom! You're the best!", he hugged her. "Then I will be off making my preparations. I will tell you when I am ready to depart." He ran back to his room after his words.

Kibini kinda felt strange at that moment. Did she do the right thing? She felt tricked and defeated but that smile and hug were worth it. It was already some time that he let her hug him. It was even rarer that he did so himself.

Meanwhile, upstairs Darc already put some things on his table and sorted out some capsules.

There were capsules for food, water, a big camping tent, and various other useful items like a box with clothing.

Basically, everything for a city kid to survive in the wilderness. Or rather a village boy.

When he goes on a journey he wants to live semi-luxurious.

He put all those things into a capsule metal container and that box was put into a waist pouch that he wore now around his waist.

Then he took some Zeni from his cupboard and also pocketed it. Somewhere about 8000 Zeni to be exact. It should help if a need for money comes up.

He also put a map he prepared into it. Now the pouch was rather bulging.

´Alright, this should be all. I am kinda getting excited. First thing first though. I need to get a radar for the Dragonballs or this journey will take way too long or I may even not finish this search at all. Oh, come to think. I nearly forgot the most important thing.´

Darc grabbed the 6-star ball from his hiding place and put it into another smaller pouch and tied it around his belt.

Then he went downstairs. He looked around and didn't see his mother and that made him surprised? Where was she? After searching the whole house he scratched his head. What was his mother doing? She wasn't inside the house.

At that moment the doorbell rang. He went to and opened it. He saw his mother with a bicycle.

"So you really finished up. Here, a trusty transportation tool for you. The button to turn it into a capsule is here", she said and pressed the button underneath a metal bar. After the bike turned into its capsule form she threw it to him.

Darc caught it and looked at his mother with a surprised look. Then he started smiling "Thanks mom.", he took out the bicycle again and sat on it.

"Alright, see you then, mom. Love you."

"I love you too. Make sure you come back home safe and don't forget about the time. Here is also a watch that displays the date as well as the time.", Kibini replied to him and put a portable watch around his left wrist.

Darc nodded at her and started riding into his adventure.

Kibini looked after him until he couldn't be seen anymore. She believed he would return. She had to.

"Now I am the one to tell your father about this, am I?" She sighed and thought about his father.

----

Some time afterward Darc was still riding and slowly he couldn't see the town anymore. He smiled more and started speeding up a little more.

His first destination would be the west city. He wondered if his visit to the Brief´s household would change history too much?